Railroad.



- Patented Feb. 5, l90l. F. IRELAND.

RAILROAD. A limion filed 16 v. 20, 1900.1,

2 Sheets$haet I.

[No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT Orricn.

FRANK IRELAND, OF NARKA, KANSAS.

RAILROAD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 667,396, dated February5, 1901.

Application filed November 20, 1900. 'e'erial No. 37,166. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, FRANK IRELAND, a citizen of the United States,residing at Narka,

in the county of Republic and State of Kansas, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Railroads; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

This invention has relation to the construction of railroads, and aimsto protect and prevent washing out of the bed by the action of rain andsnow and the destruction of the track when submerged from any cause andalso to minimize the cost of repairs to'rollingstock and track inmaterial and labor.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof,and alsoto acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means forefiecting the result, reference is to be had to the followingdescription and drawings hereto attached.

While the essential and characteristic features of the invention arenecessarily susceptible of modification, still the preferred embodimentof the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 is a top plan view of a length of railroad embodying theinvention. Fig. 2 is a side view. Fig. 3 is a section on the line X X ofFig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a rail-chair. Fig. 5 is a detailsection on the line Y Y of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a perspective View of achair, showing the employment of a washer. Fig. 7 is a perspective Viewof the clamp-hook and washer.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters. 7

The parts entering into the formation of the railroad-such as thecross-ties, cap-plates, and chairs-are formed wholly of metal which willresist wear and the action of rain, rendering the replacement of woodenties necessary at comparatively short periods. Moreover, by having theseparts constructed of metal a washout is not liable to occur in the eventof the track being submerged from any cause, the weight being sufficientto compel the parts to rest'upon the road-bed and not to be floated bythe surrounding water.

The ties 1 are of trough shape and comprise vertical sides 2 and abottom 3, the upper edge portions of the vertical sides being recurved,as shown at 4, to embrace and interlock with vertical flanges 5 at thelongitudinal edges of the intermediate cap-plates 6,10- cated betweenadjacent ties. These ties may be rolled, cast, or formed in any desiredway so long as they preserve the general outline indicated and haveinterlocking edge portions to connect with corresponding edges of theintermediate plates 6. In constructing the railroad the ties 1 arespaced a proper distance apart and the interspaces are filled withearth, which is tamped sufliciently hard to prevent displacement of theties or movement in any direction. The recurved or bent edge portions 4face outward, so as to interlock with the flanged edges 5 of thecapplates 6.

The cap-plates 6 connect adjacent ties and interlock at theirlongitudinal edges therewith and cover the earth between the ties andprevent soaking thereof by rain or snow and the consequent loosening ofthe ties. These cap-plates shed the water at the sides of the road-bedand materially protect the same and obviate frequent repairs and preventWeeds, grass, and kindred growths from obstructing the track, which isobjectionable and entails considerable expense in the proper maintenanceof the road. These cap-plates may be of a single length, correspondingwith the length of the ties 1, or they may be composed of sections, asshown at 6 and 6 in Fig. 1. This sectional construction enables theplates to be more readily handled when placing them in position orremoving them from the roadbed for any purpose. It is to be understoodthat the cap-plates are insertible and removable by an endwise movement,the flanges 5 sliding in the guideways formed by the recurved or bentedge portions 4 of the ties. For a straight length of track the ties 1will be of uniform width; but on curves the ties 1 will tapercouformably to the degree of curvature of the track, as will be readilycomprehended and as shown most clearly in Fig. 1, the ends of the tiescorresponding with the greater circle being wider than the endsbordering upon the smaller circle.

The rail-chai rs are substantially of inverted-U shape and comprise sidemembers 7 and a cross-piece 8, the side members 7 fitting against theinner sides 2 of the ties and being bolted or otherwise fastened theretoand the cross-piece 8 bridging the space formed between the said sides2. The heads of the uppermost bolts or fastenings'Q project, so as tocome beneath the cap-plates 6 and prevent downward displacement thereofin the event of the earth ballast not beingsuiflciently high to form asupport for the said cap-plates. It will thus be seen that the bolts orfastenings 9, in addition to securing the chairs to the ties, areutilized for supporting the cap-plates when interlocked with the ties.In order that the chairs may serve to brace and stiffen the sides 2 ofthe ties, they are formed with a transverse flange 10 at one end of thecrosspiece 8 and vertical flanges 11 at one end of the side members 7.Clips 12 are provided at one end of the cross-piece 8 and are bent so asto engage over the foot of the rail 13, and these clips are preferablyformed by being cut from the transverse flange 10. A clamp-bolt l4cooperates with the chair and clips 12 to secure the rail in positionand is formed at one end with a hook 15 to engage over the foot of therail and act in opposition to the clips 12 for the securement of therail to the chair. This clamp-bolt passes through an opening formed inthe transverse flange 10 and the threaded end receives the nut 16, bymeans of which the parts are tightened. The clamp-bolt is locatedcentrally of the space formed between the clips 12, and the end of thecross-piece 8 opposite the space formed between the clips 12 is notched,as shown at 17, to receive the hook 15.

When the rails 13 are of uniform gage, the chair and clamp-bolt will beconstructed so as to cooperate therewith; but in the event of the gagevarying it will be necessary to interpose a Washer between the nut 16and the adjacent part of the rail, and the form of washer best adaptedfor the purpose is shown in Figs. 6 and 7 and is of approximately Tform, comprising a stem 18 and a cross-piece The stem 18 of the washeris substantially of circular form and is connected with the cross-piece19 by a neck portion 20, which is bent at an obtuse angle to the part18, so as to throw the cross-piece 19 in such position as to engage overthe foot of the railv The nut 16 engages with the neck portion 20 andbears against the base portion of the crosspieoe 19. The stem 18 isapertured for the passage therethrough of the clamp-bolt 14.

By combining the ties and cap-plates in the manner stated the road-bedis completely housed and protected from rain and snow, and these partsbeing solely of metal are not adapted to be buoyed by rising water.Hence a track constructed in accordance with this invention is notliable to be washed away when located in low lands and other placesvisited by floods.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is-- 1. In arailroad, and in combination with metallic ties of trough shape havingtheir upper edge portions bent outwardly and recurved, metal plateslocated between adjacent ties and having their longitudinal edges bentup and embraced by the recurved edges of the ties, substantially as setforth.

2. In a railroad, and in combination with metallic ties of trough shapein cross-section and having their upper edge portions recurved oroutwardly bent, plates located between adjacent ties and having theirlongitudinal edges flanged and adapted to interlock with the recurved orbent edges of the ties, and projections, extending from the sides of theties and coming beneath the plates to form a support therefor,substantially as specified.

3. In combination, trough-shaped metallic ties having their edgeportions bent or recurved, rail-chairs of substantially inverted- Ushape and having their side members fitted against the sides of theties, fastenings connecting the chairs with the ties and havingprojecting parts, and cap-plates having their longitudinal edges flangedand adapted to interlock with the bent edges of the ties and supportedby the projecting portions of certain of the chair-fastenings,substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I afiflx my signature in presence of twowitnesses.-

FRANK IRELAND.

